Charlevoix City Council focused on energy issues

CHARLEVOIX — Determined to stay abreast of an issue which affects everyone in the city, Charlevoix City Council's Monday meeting focused mainly on utilities.

Council members voted unanimously to purchase more cost efficient blocks of energy in addition to setting public hearings on both their energy optimization and cross connection plans.

“Because of the economic downturn, the current prices for these blocks of energy are relatively low,” said city electric and water department superintendent Don Swem in his presentation to council. “It would be to our advantage to obtain this low priced power before the prices go back up — if they do.”

Until 2010, Charlevoix remains a member of the Michigan Public Power Agency, a group of municipalities which jointly own coal plants and a gas turbine generator in Kalkaska.

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When the power agency ceases to exist, Charlevoix will have the option to buy hours of electricity in so-called blocks of energy.

“At this point, the best plan we have is an interim plan to buy some blocks of energy that would be available from 2011 through 2015,” Swem said.

Swem added that it could take until 2015 before the municipalities agree on a replacement for the old power group.

Continuing with the theme of energy, council approved two public hearings to begin at 7 p.m., May 4 in council chambers.

The first hearing will be on the city's energy optimization plan which is intended to “entice customers” to make purchases and take steps to reduce their energy use.

The energy optimization plan is a requirement since the Michigan legislature passed Public Act 295 in 2008.

Early projections are that the plan could save the city 64 megawatt hours or 1 percent of its retail sales.

Proposed motivators to the public could include incentives for those who buy compact fluorescent bulbs, recycling refrigerators and freezers, purchasing appliances with the Energy Star — meaning the appliance uses less energy than its counterparts — logo, and updating heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment.

The second hearing will be on the city's cross connection control plan.

The plan deals with ensuring water pipe systems are properly installed so “water of undesirable quality” does not reverse direction and end up in the fresh water supply.

Swem said the cross connection plan's paperwork is outdated and that this will merely be a housekeeping matter in updating some language.